Education For All Children Blog

We trudged 25 miles across barren desert of the Laikipia plateau to the Ewaso district market with our guide, Shilling, and his two cows. I'm not sure Shilling was his real name, but it was easy for me to remember. Anyhow, Shilling's bank account is his cattle. He needed to make a withdrawal to pay for his son's next term in school. At the market were cattle buyers from Nairobi equipped with trucks to transport the cattle for resale at the city auction. We arrived and the negotiations began all in Swahili. I could tell by the tone and volume that no deal had yet been reached. Five years ago, Shilling would have been negotiating with limited and local market knowledge about the current Nairobi cattle market. Today, however, he pulled out his cell phone and made a few calls. As a result of the calls, he determined that the price for the first cow was within reason and the deal was struck. The offer for the second cow was too low. At the end of the day, he returned home with half the tuition and one cow. He planned to return the following week to see if the market had improved.

This anecdotal tale of cell phone usage is being repeated thousands of times a day across Kenya and the rest of the developing world. What we in the west consider a novelty, because it extends our use of the traditional land line, is a revolution in the developing world. This revolution is driving growth and innovation at an unprecedented rate. In 2000, the developing world owned less than one-quarter of the world cell phones, according to a recent article in the Economist. Today they own more than three-quarters of the worlds 4 billion phones.

A Bangladeshi barber did not have enough money to rent a store front. So he posted adds around town that he gave in-home hair cuts. Clients called his cell phone to book an appointment - solved his store front problem and provided added value to his customers.

IT is an important component of the EFAC program. We look for partner schools with computer labs and courses. We are developing Facebook pages for our students. We are exploring ways to use cell technology to improve communications with our schools and students.

In the end, we want our students to be technology literate. We believe that a knowledge of and career in technology innovation may be the most important skill set our students possess.

By Rod Van Sciver

Labels: Technology, Visiting Kenya

Education For All Children is an important part of so many peoples lives. On Wednesday September 16, 2009 board members Dennett and Dana Hooper gathered together 50 women to celebrate and learn about EFAC. The night includes fantastic African cuisine by Simon Clementz, South Africa chef, fine selection of wines, massage, laughter, and tears of joy. To top it off nobody left empty handed! Thanks to local business's who donated not only their time, but many goodies for all the guests.

Nancy Van Sciver, president of Education For All Children, presented an informative slide show about the scholarship program. Following Nancy, Dennett Page shared her experience with her sponsored student Sarah. We learned of Sarah's goals in life. Goals which would not be fulfilled if it weren't for Dennett, who provided her with a four year scholarship.

Julius was the last to speak. He is a scholarship student from the Starehe Boys School in Kenya. Julius shared with us his remarkable story of what it was like to be a scholarship student and what it meant to him and his life. He ended his story by asking everyone if we thought he had done a good job in his life. There was not a dry eye in the house. This was a story that we will treasure for the rest of our lives. Yes, Julius you have done a remarkable job!

After hearing this compelling story it brought us back to why we were really celebrating. While it was a blast to get everyone together we were there for a purpose... to raise awareness and funding for the children of Kenya. Many of the attendees have decided to donate and sponsor a child over the next four years.
Two guests, Samantha and Whitney have decided to hold an African Tea to spread the word about EFAC.

"Chick Night" was a great success!

By Ryanne Cortney

Labels: EFAC Events

The 14 year-old, Malawi boy, William Kamkwamba, visited the local library to continue his education since his parents could no longer afford tuition. While reading through books a picture of a windmill caught the boy's attention "I thought: 'That could be a defense against hunger. Maybe I should build one for myself.'"

William constructed bicycle parts, a tractor fan blade and old shock absorbers, and plastic pipes flattened into blades over a fire into a turbine. He then attached the turbine to the top of a 16ft. gum tree. Out went the paraffin candles as the windmill produced electricity in a developing country where only 2% are luckily enough to have it.

Al Gore and other world leaders contacted William to commend him for his success and brilliance. Al Gore said, "William Kamkwamba's achievements with wind energy show what one person, with an inspired idea, can do to tackle the crisis we face." Mealer the author of "The Boy Who Harnessed Wind" a book on William Kamkwamba said in a BBC article, "Mr Kamkwamba represents Africa"s new 'cheetah generation', young people, energetic and technology-hungry, who are taking control of their own destiny."

Education For All Children seeks out the bright leaders of the "cheetah generation" like William Kamkwamb and offer them the opportunity to learn the skills needed to support their countries. Let children grow, explore the world, and become the next visionaries.

By Lisa Van Sciver

Labels: African Development

Education for All Children is honored to have been selected as one of this year's grant recipients by the Donato J. Tramuto Foundation. After reviewing our mission and progress to date, the foundation has generously offered to support two scholars in the class of 2010.

The Donato J. Tramuto Foundation was founded in the fall of 2001 by Donato Tramuto following the tragic events of 9/11. Mr. Tramuto, who was commuting between California and Maine each week, was scheduled to be on United Flight 175 along with his two friends and their 3 year old son who were in Maine visiting. On Monday, September 10th, he woke up with a toothache and having arranged for an afternoon dental appointment in Boston, he decided to leave for California on Monday evening instead of Tuesday, September 11th. Unfortunately, his friends boarded Flight 175 and lost their lives on that fateful Tuesday morning. Touched by the loss of his friends, the Foundation was established as a means to provide opportunities and assistance to young individuals with special challenges. It was a way to honor his friends and to help others achieve their goals and dreams.

On September 19, as Mr. Tramuto presented the grant to EFAC President, Nancy Van Sciver, he said that his mission is to help children with disadvantages, whether physical or economic, to overcome those challenges and emerge as strong and successful adults. He believes EFAC is providing that kind of support to our scholars.

Our heartfelt thanks to Donato ,Board member David Ludd and the rest of the board for your confidence in and support of our effort.

By Rod Van Sciver

Labels: EFAC Progress

When autumn arrived, US kids returned to their free education to learn life skills needed for global survival. Unfortunately, many developing countries offer limited access to education. In Kenya there is free primary school and limited funds for high school. 60 % of graduating eighth graders cannot afford to attend high school. Individuals who only complete primary education do not have the skills necessary to find meaningful employment and never achieve the knowledge to better their situation.

In Kenya, where government funded primary schooling began in 2003, Education For All Children, a two year-old non-profit, enabled 43 students to attend secondary school and raised scholarships for another 40 students to begin school in January. EFAC and the Kenyan scholarship students greatly appreciate everyone’s support. The scholarship students have now received the opportunity to progress and help their communities.

My EFAC scholar girl, attending the Mt. Laverna Girls School, wrote in a letter to me: "When I grow up I want to do medicine. I chose this because where I come from people suffer of unknown diseases. Though my dad is a nurse he is paid low wages, but I want to have a higher profession than that. I will also run my own hospital at my home area which will be free, since people now cannot pay hospital bills." I personaly do not know a better place to spend $20 each month.

Education For All Children ~ Offering the gift which can never be taken away, education!

By Lisa Van Sciver

Labels: Education in Kenya, Importance of Education

East Africans struggle with the worst drought this decade. In the pastoral lands of Northern Kenya the last rain fell a few years ago. Indigenous groups from these pastoral lands such as the Masaai and the Turkana lost most their livestock to dehydration. Several EFAC scholarship students are from these nomadic tribes and over school brake had difficulty finding their families who migrated in search of water.

Kenyan supporting aid groups work hard to supplement the increasing food needs. The situation has become untenable due to food yields dropping 25% and food prices rising 130%. Last month the Kenyan Food Security Meeting feed 3.7 million people. France recently gave Kenya millions of dollars in low-return loans and grants to assist during this extreme drought and the UK's charity Oxfam has directed their focus on this hunger crisis.

Pamela Ataa a northern Kenyan reports the necessity for support, "I feel very fortunate that there has been relief food... if not you would have seen people dying of hunger like the livestock and I'm very happy to send thanks to those who gave food and have supported us..." As the drought continues it is unknown if the support can keep up with the ever growing demand for water and food.

Help Education For All Children give Kenyan's the opportunity to grow and learn necessary skills to survive these harsh times.

By Lisa Van Sciver

Labels: In the News